Sensor sends text alerts from cows in labor

DURHAM, N.H. -- University of New Hampshire dairy researchers are more relaxed these days about monitoring pregnant cows: A sensor attached to their tails sends text alerts when they're in labor. Moocall measures tail movement patterns triggered by labor contractions. On average, it alerts managers about an hour before a cow gives birth. But it's not foolproof. One unhappy cow rubbed her tail up against everything and banged the sensor on the wall to try to get it to fall off, leading to false alarms.